Angelonia plant named &#39;balanglast&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Angelonia  plant named ‘Balanglast’ characterized by its pale purple/white bi-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and freely flowering, upright, well-branched growth habit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAngelonia plant botanically known as Angelonia angustifolia andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balanglast’.

The new cultivar was developed by the inventor in a controlled breedingprogram during July 2002, at Arroyo Grande, Calif. The objective of thebreeding program was the development of Angelonia cultivars with freelybranching and vigorous growth habits, unique flower colors, andcontinuous flowering.

The new cultivar was a naturally occurring sport of the proprietaryAngelonia angustifolia selection identified as BFP-760, not patented,characterized by its solid dark lavender-colored flowers, mediumgreen-colored foliage, and heavy branching habit. The new cultivar wasdiscovered and selected by the inventor during August, 2002 at WestChicago Ill.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings takensince August 2002 at West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the newcultivar reproduces true to type with all the characteristics, as hereindescribed, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations ofsuch asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Balanglast’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Angelonia plant:

1. Pale purple/white bi-colored flowers.

2. Dark green-colored foliage.

3. Freely flowering.

4. An upright, well-branched growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the parent primarily inflower color.

Of the Angelonia cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar to‘Balanglast’ is the Angelonia cultivar AngelMist® Purple Stripe, notpatented. However, in side-by-side comparisons, carried out at WestChicago, Ill., plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘PurpleStripe’ in the following characteristics:

1. The flowers of ‘Balanglast’ are pale-purple/white bi-color, whereasthe flowers of ‘Purple Stripe’ are dark-purple/white bi-color.

2. Plants of ‘Balanglast’ have smaller flowers than plants of ‘PurpleStripe’.

3. Plants of ‘Balanglast’ are shorter than those of ‘Purple Stripe’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describe the colors of ‘Balanglast’. Theplants were grown in 10 cm pots for 14 weeks in a greenhouse at WestChicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Balanglast’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of‘Balanglast’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is theR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where color terms of ordinary significance areused. The color values were determined on Aug. 25, 2004. The readingswere taken between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. under natural light conditions.

The following measurements and descriptions describe plants producedfrom cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a doublepolycarbonate-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to thoseused in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill.in 10 cm pots for 14 weeks while using a soilless growth medium.Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 75°- 85° F.(24°-29° C.) during the day and approximately 62°-70° F. (17°-21° C.)during the night. Greenhouse light levels were maintained atapproximately 6,000 to 10,000 footcandles during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Angelonia angustifolia, cultivar    Balanglast.-   Parentage: Naturally occurring sport of proprietary Angelonia    angustifolia selection identified as BFP-760, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7 to 9 days.        -   Time to develop roots.—Approximately 21 to 28 days.        -   Root description.—Fine and fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 6 to 7 weeks from a rooted cutting.        -   Habit of growth.—Moderately vigorous with good branching.        -   Form.—Upright and outwardly spreading.        -   Size.—Height (from soil level to top of plant plane):            Approximately 29.3 cm. Diameter (area of spread):            Approximately 53.1 cm.        -   Main branch.—Quantity per plant: Approximately 3. Shape:            Square in cross section. Strength: Moderate. Length from            soil level to branch tip: Approximately 35.7 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 3.1 mm. Color: 144B, Texture: Glabrous.            Internode length at middle of branch: Approximately 2.1 cm.        -   Foliage.—Quantity: Approximately 36 leaves per main branch.            Fragrance: None. Type: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite.            Orientation to stem: Obtuse. Shape: Narrow elliptic. Apex:            Narrow acute. Base: Sessile. Margin: Dentate. Size of leaf            taken from middle of branch: Length: Approximately 6.8 cm.            Width: Approximately 1.5 cm. Venation pattern: Pinnate.            Color of upper surface of young foliage: 146A with venation            of 145C. Color of lower surface of young foliage: 146B with            venation of 145C. Color of upper surface of mature foliage:            Darker than 146A with venation of 145C. Color of lower            surface of mature foliage: 146B with venation of 145C.            Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balanglast’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming from spring through autumn and year round in            greenhouse environment.        -   Lastingness of individual bloom.—Approximately 7 to 10 days.        -   Inflorescence type/description.—Terminal racemes. Length            from base of lowest fully open flower to tip of branch:            16.3 cm. Width: 4.9 cm. Number per plant: Approximately 3            open racemes per plant. Number of fully open flowers per            raceme at any one time: Approximately 13.-   Flower description:    -   -   Type/Fragrance.—Solitary, bi-labiate, self-cleaning. Flowers            have a slightly sweet fragrance.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 3-4 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower. Shape at            first color: Spherical. Length: Approximately 8.3 mm.            Diameter: Approximately 6.7 mm. Color: 150D.        -   Flower size/aspect.—Length: Approximately 2.4 cm. Width:            Approximately 1.8 cm. Depth: Approximately 7.4 mm. Aspect:            Facing outward parallel to stem.        -   Petals.—Quantity: Five per flower fused at base forming a            throat, an upper lip having two petals and a lower lip            having three petals.        -   Upper lip.—Petal shape: Obovate. Petal apex: Obtuse. Petal            margin: Entire. Length of petals: 6.9 mm. Width of petals:            9.5 mm. Color of upper surface: Background of N155D with            irregular areas of N82B and 83B. Color of lower surface:            N155D at margin and N82D and 83D in center. Texture of upper            surface of petals: Dense stipulate glandular at base            becoming sparse at margin and apex. Gland color: Colorless,            translucent. Texture of lower surface of petals: Glabrous.        -   Lower lip.—Petal shape: Obovate. Petal apex: Obtuse. Petal            margin: Entire. Length of petals: 7.7 mm. Width of petals:            8.8 mm. Color of upper surface: Background of N155D with            irregular areas of 83C, N82C and venation of 83B. Palate            color: N155D with spots of 83A. Tooth color: 150C. Color of            lower surface: N155D with irregular areas of N82D, 83D and            venation of 83C. Texture of upper surface: Densely glandular            at base, moderately glandular along margin and apex. Texture            of lower surface: Moderately glandular. Gland color:            Colorless, translucent.        -   Throat.—Length: Approximately 5 mm. Width: Approximately            8 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color of inner and outer surfaces:            83D with spots of 83A.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Length: Approximately 1.4 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 0.4 mm. Angle to stem: Acute. Color:            144C with overlay of 187A. Texture: Glabrous.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Five pointed star. Length: Approximately            4.7 mm. Diameter: Approximately 5 mm. Sepal quantity: 5.            Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acuminate. Sepal            margin: Entire. Sepal length: Approximately 4.7 mm. Sepal            width: Approximately 2.2 mm. Sepal color: Both surfaces:            143A with overlay of 187A. Sepal texture: Upper and lower            surface: Glabrous.        -   Reproductive Organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: Four per            flower. Stamen length: Approximately 3.3 mm. Filament color:            Lighter than N155A. Anther shape: Bi-lobed. Anther length:            1.8 mm. Anther color: 96C. Amount of pollen: Abundant.            Pollen Color: 155D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: One per            flower. Pistil length: 4.4 mm. Stigma length: 0.3 mm. Stigma            color: Colorless, transparent. Style length: 2.6 mm. Style            color: Lighter than N155A. Ovary diameter: 1.5 mm. Ovary            color: 150C with overlay of 187A. Ovary texture: Glabrous.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Angelonia has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Angelonia plant named ‘Balanglast’,substantially as herein shown and described.